Transnational Behavior in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

This paper examines transnationalism across migrant generational statuses in three urban centers. The objective of this study is to explore how immigrant integration influences the maintenance of social and economic connections with the communities-of-origin. To accomplish this objective we examine the impact of socio-economic status and generational status (first to third) on whether respondents remit, visit their communities-of-origin, or desire to return. The data for this study is based on survey data collected in New York City, New York, U.S.A.; El Paso, Texas, U.S.A.; and Paris, France. We find that transnational practices differ across the three locations. In Paris we find evidence of reactive transnationalism -looking abroad due to exclusion in the new society. In New York, however, there is more support for resourcebased transnationalism -better legal and socioeconomic integration that allows for more transnational involvement. Transnationalism in El Paso differs from NYC and Paris in large part due to being located along the U.S.-Mexico border. Surprisingly, we find that El Paso respondents are less transnational than those in Paris or New York when it comes to remittances, visiting, and the desire to return to the sending community. We conclude by proposing a new typology of transnationalism that accentuates the contextual aspects of these practices.

Migration patterns and emigrants’ transnational activities: comparative findings from two migrant origin areas in Ethiopia

“…The social space of "illegality" is an erasure of legal personhood, − a space of forced invisibility, exclusion, subjugation, and repression that "materialises around [the undocumented] wherever they go" (Coutin, 2000, p. 30;De Genova, 2002). Some scholars showed how having or lacking legal status affects immigrants' integration, thereby, their transnational engagement, not just the economic dimensions, but also the socio-cultural and political (Castañeda, Morales, & Ochoa, 2014;Lacroix et al, 2016).…”

Suppressing transnationalism: bringing constraints into the study of transnational political action

“…Transnationalism has grown into an expansive paradigm that has reshaped the study of immigrant and diaspora populations. Scholars now widely recognize that immigrants and diaspora groups engage in several types of cross-border transnational political action (TPA), including participation in homeland electoral politics (Ahmadov & Sasse, 2015Chaudhary, 2018b), advocacy and development projects facilitated by diaspora organizations (Castañeda, Morales, & Ochoa, 2014;Chaudhary, 2018a;Morales & Pilati, 2014), and long-distance nationalist efforts to influence conflicts and political developments from afar (Anderson, 1998; see also Baser, 2015Baser, , 2017Baser & Swain, 2009Fair, 2005;Hockenos, 2003;Koinova, 2010;Smith & Stares, 2007;Tölölyan, 2000Tölölyan, , 2010. Nevertheless, despite the notable contributions of this literature, we know surprisingly little about the exogenous sociopolitical forces that constrain the TPA of immigrant and diaspora communities.…”

Transnational and Local Co-ethnic Social Ties as Coping Mechanisms Against Perceived Discrimination - A Study on the Life Satisfaction of Turkish and Moroccan Minorities in the Netherlands

“…Namely, Itzigsohn and Saucedo (2002) argue that negative experiences, such as discrimination, can increase immigrants’ transnational activities as a reaction. This type of transnationalism can function as an escape from the rejection felt in the destination country and can be compensatory for the social exclusion ( Castañeda et al, 2014 ). Moreover, as research on new communication technologies (e.g.…”

“…Research on transnationalism has been conducted mostly among first-generation minorities ( Castañeda et al, 2014 ; Bilgili, 2014a , 2014b ). However, reactive transnationalism could also be relevant for the second generation, especially considering the relatively high levels of discrimination they perceive ( Heath, 2014 ; Andriessen et al, 2020 ).…”